Method and apparatus for river control



March 29 1927' E. BIGNELL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RIVER CONTROL Filed April' z. 1925 2 Sheets-sheet 1 March 29, 1927. E. BIGNELL METHOD AND APPARATUS Foa-RIVER coNTRoL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April. 2. 1923 f4 am f/ BY `A TTORNE Yv Patentedy Mar. 29, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD BIGNELL, F LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOR TO CONCRETE FILING C0., OF SEWARD, NEBRASKA, A CORPORATION 0F NEBRASKA.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RIVER CONTROL.

Application led April 2,

This invention relates to method and means for current and channel control in moving'bodies of water.

In my Patent No. 1,409,140 granted March 7, 1922 I have described at length a novel means for current and channel control in, moving bodies of water in which a pile or piles are sunk in the hed of the stream to a depth below the maximum scour of the water to form an anchor for an open-work barrier toretard the velocity of the moving water to cause the deposit of particles carried thereby..

The invention there described admirably serves the purpose for which it is intended 1.5 but I have found that in some instances the particles deposited by retarding the velocity of the stream are subsequently washed away when the stream later increases its velocity. This is done by undercutting the deposited bar and it is due to the fact that the stream laterows at a higher velocity than the velocity at which the particles were deposited. For example, if the deposition of the particles is made while the stream is 5 flowing at four miles an hour, these same closed in my Patent No. 1.409.140, there are certain conditions under which the bar will be subsequently washed away.

In order to preserve the integrity of the bar after it is formed`v I provide a reinforcement in connection with the retards so that the bar formedv will be retained as a permanent bar so that when the velocity of the stream rises, it will necessarilv cut anew channel outside of thev zone of the bar which has been reinforced. In this manner I may control the channel of the stream as well as protect the built-up ground formed by the.

1923. Serial N0. 629,445.

retard and its anchor being shown in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a chart representing the built-up bar and is to show the variable consistency of the material in the bar.

Fig.. 4 is a cross sectional view throu h the piling or reinforcement showing t 'e modified means of bracing the same.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the reinforcement with the modified form of bracing means.

In carrying out this invention I introduce the pile or piles which constitute the anchorages for the retard at a depth below the maximum scour of the stream bed and I prefer to utilize 'a selfsinking pile such as is covered by my United States Patent No. 1,241,813 of October 2, 1917. The pile is, therefore, generically illustrated and numbered 1. The pile or piles constitute anchorages for the retard which may consist of a plurality of trees 2 lashed together in an appropriate manner as, for example, by the lashing 3, and fastened to the pile or piles 1 by cables 4, as shown. Y

The construction thusefar described per se constitutes no part of the present invention because such retards and anchorages have been covered 'by patents already granted to me.

The invention consists in associating with such retards a barrier or reinforcement which may consist of sheet piling 5 at substantially right angles to the direction of flow of the stream and preferably reinforced by cables 6 and 7 which may be fastened to the cables 4 and through them anchored to the pile 1. Thev sheet piling may consist of any number of elementsl arranged edge to edge so thatthey are (across the stream and provided they are s'iiciently close together to prevent the soil from seeping through with the stream.

By reference to my former Patent No. 1.409.140, it will be apparent that the retard consisting of the trees 6 ortheir equivalent will slow down thevelocity of the stream to permit the deposition of the suspended particles below the barrier, so as to pile up such suspended particles much in the same manner as snow is piled up on the leeward side of a fence having an opening along its lower portig'n through which the'wind and 102 snow passes.

There is this important difference, however, the buoyancy of the stream depends upon its velocity; that is, the greater the velocity of the stream, the greater the buoyancy and the slower the velocity, the less the buoyance. In other words, the buoyancy increases with the velocity of the stream and falls off with the retardation of the stream.

Therefore, I have illustrated in Fig. 3 the stratification of the bar. If the stream is flowingr at teu miles an hour, as indicated on the chart. the heavier particles only will be deposited. these having been picked up by the stream when it was flowing something in excess of ten miles an h'our. All other particles which can be held in` suspension at less than ten miles an hour velocity will be carried along with the stream. When the streams velocity slows to nine miles an hour. the' second strata will be deposited on the first. At eight miles an hour,the third strata will be deposited, and so on to about two and one-half miles an hour, when the stream is relatively sluggish and thefine alluvium deposit so much desired for vegetation will be the surfacinglayer.

Now if the stream increases its velocity later beyond two and one-half miles an hour, the fine alluvium deposit would be washed off first, then the next finer at a little over three miles an hour, and so on and finally the entire sand bar is washed away.

I-f it is considered that the first layers of the sand bar have been deposited at a very slow velocity` say three or four miles an hour. they then would become the lowermost layers or the foundationlayers for the sand bar and this soil might be the soil indicated at three and four mile velocity, according to Fig. 3. Then if the stream increases to five miles an hour, the lower layers which had heen deposited at the slow velocity would be picked up b v the five mile owing stream and carried along` with it so as to under-cut -the sand bar and cause the top of the sand bar to collapse or wash away into he stream.

By providing the barrier or reinforcement for the sand bar and associating the same with the retard so that the barrier will be iu line with the retards, the deposits will pile up against the barrier and be reinforced by it so that the stream cannot pass through the bar to under-cutI but must pass to the side or over it.

By reference to Fie. 1 it will be observed that the channel will be cut to the side of the bar formed by the retard and barrier. The sand bar indicated at 8 can be cut away by the fast moving stream because the stream will take the course of least resistance and since the .sand bar 8 which, for the purpose of. illustration, is assumed toV be a naturally forn'ied bar, has no reinforcement, it is obvious that if such a one existed near the reinforced bar 9, it would be cut away by the stream or the stream would cut its own channel to-one side of the reinforced bar 9.

The retard 7 will preferably consist of trees because of the availability of such material although I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction of the retard provided it is an open retard which does not dam up vthe stream but only arreststhe vcloeity so as to cause a local deposition of the particles held in suspension so as to build up the bar atthe point desired and at'the same time provide a reinforcement so as to prevent 'subsequent washing away of the bar when the velocity of the stream increases.

In order to secure the retard against sidewise movement I may int-erweave or otherwise secure a transverse cable 10 to the retard and anchor its ends to the banks of the stream, at at 11 and to the bed of the stream as at 12.

In conclusion, therefore, it is apparent that with the barrier and retard in place in the stream, the retard will slow down the stream above the barrier so that the alluviuni deposits will. during high water, form a bar both above and below the barrier. At the next high water, the top of the bar may be `Washed of to a limited extent but the barrier prevents the rush of water under the retard that would otherwise wash out the bar and restore previous conditions. lVhile the barrier thus protects the retard. the retard also protects the barrier by in'tially slowing, the current to prevent the swirl that would otherwise tend to undercut and dislodge the barrier.

It is also apparent that the liability of the original bed of the river being washed 'away or yundercut will be prevented.' This is important since by maintaining' the original river bed, a firm foundation for the built-up bar will be provided.

In the modified form of bracing, the reinforcement means is provided for stabilizing the reinforcement against pressure from two directions. The piling 5 is here shown as provided with reinforcing` or stabilizing guides or cables. The cable 13 is shown as having its ends fastened to eye bolts 14. the intermediate portions of the cable 13 passing under the pullevs y15 and 16 and over the top edge of the piling in the form of an open loop 17. the sides of thel loop being' preferablv `guided through guides 18 and 19. The lower portions of the cable 13 are deflected outwardly te provide oppositely disposed loops Q0 and 21. which pass through idlers 21 and 2Q on the ends of the cables 23 and 24 fastened to the piles 25 and 26 submerged below the line of scour ofthe river bed. The idlers 21 and 22 are also preferl ably below the river bed and the sand bar will build somewhere about the height indicated by the dotted line 27. Therel may be as many stabilizing devices as required and these will vary in number according to the width of the sand bar or the transverse length of the piling 5. V

It willbe apparent by reference to Figs. 4 and 5 'that with the anchorage or stabihzing means shown, the barrier or abutment may be flexibly supported in either of two directions.

What 1 claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is:

1. The method of controlling channels, shore lines and the like whichconssts in sinking in lthe bed of a body of moving water a pile or piles to a depth below the maximum scour of the water, securing to said pile or piles an open-work retard to .slow

`down the velocity of the water to cause a deposition of' particles carried thereby, and erecting a barrier in line with the retard to prevent the subsequent shifting of the deposited particles.

-2. The method of controlling channels, Shore lines and the like which consists in sinking in the bed of a bodyof moving water a pile or piles to a depth below the maximum scour of the water, securing to said pile or piles an open-work retard to slow down the velocity of the water and cause a deposition of articles carried thereby, to form a sand ar, and providing a permanent reinforcement for the downstream side of the sand bar.

3. The method of controlling channels, shore lines and the like which consists in sinking in the bed of a body of moving Ameans attached thereto and extending up water a pile or piles, securing to said pile 40 or piles an open-work retard to slow down the Velocity of the moving water to cause a deposition of particles carried thereby, and erecting a fixed barrier on the down-stream side of theretard.

4. In combination, a pile or piles sunk in the bed of a flowing body of water, flexible means attached thereto and extending upwardl therefrom, a retard secured to the flexib e means for initially slowing down the flow of the water to arrest the movement of sand or other solids carried by or suspended in the water whereby earth bars are created and maintained, and a fixed barrier pro'ecting from the bed of the stream to rein orce the down-stream side of the sand bar thus formed.

5. In combination, a pile or piles sunk in the bed of a flowing Abody of water, flexible wardlytherefrom, a floatingbarrier secured to the flexible means for initially slowing down the f low of water to arrest the movement of the sand and other solids carried by or suspended in the water whereby earth bars are created, and a reinforcing barrier comprising piles sunk in the bed of the stream on the down-stream side of the retard so as to prevent shifting of the sands of the built-up bar.

6. In combination, a retard of relatively open formation and a barrier of relatively close formation located above the bed of a flowing stream, the retard located lat the upstream side'of the barrier and having an- 75 chorage independent ofthe barrier.

In testimony whereof I affix my si ature.

EDWARD BIG `LL. 

